UK To "Light It Up Blue" Wednesday

Autism awareness is the subject of Light it Up Blue, an event taking place at the University of Kentucky Wednesday.

Run by UK's Student Council for Exceptional children, it will feature a variety of guest speakers, including those with autism spectrum disorders, their parents, and siblings. Vice President Emily Thornton says it will help raise awareness.

"We’re... bringing about that awareness by having people who have experience with the disorder firsthand in their life, so a parent, and somebody with the disorder, and a sibling, to come and speak about their experiences," she said.

The event will also feature an information fair, consisting of counselors and other sources of support for those with autism. Thornton says these experts can be difficult to find.

“I want people to see that there are supports out there, and that there is access to them. Somebody needs to show them to you because it’s not always that people know about these supports. They don’t know that they exist or how to even get in contact with these people," she said.

The information fair and set of speakers will begin at 7 PM Wednesday in UK's Taylor Education Building. Following these events, the structure will be lit with blue lights in an 8:15 ceremony.